PHOTO: Jack Murray
The Penticton Vees have the opportunity to punch their ticket to the Fred Page Cup Final as they look for a victory in Game #4 of their best-of-seven Interior Conference Final series against the West Kelowna Warriors on Wednesday night at Royal LePage Place.
REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE vs. WEST KELOWNA
Tuesday, November 23rd @ Royal LePage Place (6-3 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Saturday, December 18th @ Royal LePage Place (5-2 Warriors) (BOXSCORE)
Wednesday, December 29th @ Royal LePage Place (4-3 Warriors) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, December 31st @ South Okanagan Events Centre (3-0 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Saturday, January 1st @ Royal LePage Place (4-3 Warriors/SO) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, February 18th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (3-1 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, March 25th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (4-3 Warriors/OT) (BOXSCORE)
THIRD ROUND SCHEDULE vs. WEST KELOWNA
Game #1: Friday, April 29th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (8-1 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Game #2: Saturday, April 30th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (6-0 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Game #3: Monday, May 2nd @ Royal LePage Place (5-2 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Game #4: Wednesday, May 4th @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
*Game #5: Friday, May 6th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (7:00 PM)
*Game #6: Saturday, May 7th @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)
*Game #7: Tuesday, May 11th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (7:00 PM)
*- If Necessary
Penticton comes into Wednesday night’s matchup with the chance to advance on in the playoffs following a Game #3 on Monday night by a score of 5-2 at RLP. Luc Wilson and Beanie Richter each tallied a pair of goals in the win while Josh Nadeau was able to net a single for the Game #3 win. Kaeden Lane turned aside 19 of the 21 shots thrown his way to earn his 11th win of the playoffs.
Vees Regular Season Leading Scorers:
Luc Wilson (29-46-75)
Josh Nadeau (40-32-72)
Bradly Nadeau (20-26-46)
Brett Moravec (22-19-41)
Casey McDonald (20-17-37)
Vees Playoff Leading Scorers:
Luc Wilson (6-13-19)
Josh Nadeau (9-8-17)
Bradly Nadeau (7-10-17)
Adam Eisele (4-11-15)
Brett Moravec (4-6-10)
It’s not easy to follow up a four-point performance in Game #2 like Vees forward Luc Wilson did but he was able to find the back of the net twice in Game #3 to help his team put the Warriors on the brink of elimination. The Duncan, BC native has posted goals in each of his last three games, collecting five markers in that span, including a pair of back-to-back multi-goal contests. The University of Minnesota State-Mankato commit has earned a point in all playoff games but one so far in the postseason and sits tied for the top of the scoring lead in the playoffs with his 19 points.
Another Vee who has collected goals in three straight games is forward Josh Nadeau, who tallied 40 markers in the regular season and leads Penticton with 9 goals in the playoffs. The University of Maine commit has posted goals in 8 of the Vees 12 playoff games and also collecting 9 goals in his 9 games and riding a current 9-game point streak where Josh has posted 9 goals and 7 assists for 16 points in that span.
There have been a plentiful of impressive stats for the Vees over the course of their 11 consecutive playoff wins and one of those have been their strong play on the road as Penticton has gone a perfect 5-0 away from the South Okanagan Events Centre. The Vees have surrendered just 9 goals in their 5 games away from home, the lowest of any teams remaining in the playoffs while their +8-goal differential is second-best in the league behind only the Nanaimo Clippers.
The West Kelowna Warriors come into Wednesday night looking to keep their season alive following a 5-2 loss in Game #3 on Monday night on home ice. John Evans and Marcus Joughin scored third period markers in the defeat while Justin Katz started the game, making 14 saves on 17 shots in his 1st loss of the playoffs before being relieved by Johnny Derrick in the final two periods of play, who stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced.
Warriors Regular Season Leaders:
Felix Trudeau (27-34-61)
Tyler Cristall (30-27-57)
Elan Bar-Lev-Wise (23-30-53)
Tyson Jugnauth (9-41-50)
John Evans (19-29-48)
Warriors Playoff Leaders:
John Evans (9-8-17)
Tyler Cristall (6-9-15)
Christophe Farmer (6-8-14)
Felix Trudeau (4-10-14)
Marcus Joughin (4-9-13)
A goal and an assist in Game #3 provided the first points of the series for Warriors forward Marcus Joughin, who had been held pointless in his last four games before Monday night. The Sacred Heart University commit has seen plenty of success throughout the course of the playoffs, posting 13 points in 13 games, including holding a seven-game point streak at one mark of the postseason.
Game #4 marks the first elimination game of the series with the Warriors looking to keep the series alive and force a Game #5 in Penticton on Friday night. West Kelowna holds a record of 3-5 in their last 8 elimination games, including being 2-1 this postseason. The Warriors did scave off elimination the last time they played the Vees in a Game #4 during the 2020 playoffs before Penticton finished the series in five games.
The Vees look to advance to the BCHL Final with a win as the Warriors look to keep their season alive in Game #4 of the Interior Conference Final on Wednesday night at Royal LePage Place. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM with the game broadcasted live on Bounce Radio 800 as well as streamed online on BCHLTV.ca beginning with the pre-game show at 6:40 PM.
